


Of Awkward Apologies and Starting Over

by NicePumpkinSpice



Series: Of Sweet Memories and Guarded Moments [69]
Category: Dragon Age - All Media Types, Dragon Age: Inquisition
Genre: F/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-12-09
Updated: 2015-12-09
Packaged: 2018-05-05 20:44:58
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,843
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/5389643
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/NicePumpkinSpice/pseuds/NicePumpkinSpice
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Ev and Cullen begin to begin again.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Of Awkward Apologies and Starting Over

If Evelyn expected a passionate kiss as Cullen and she began again, she would have been disappointed when he pressed his lips to her forehead and then held her tightly to him. But for once she was without expectations or preconceived notions of how things _should_ be and was able instead to appreciate what _was_. She drank in his scent and the feel of his strong arms about her. The sensations were so familiar and yet so foreign. It was as if the world was unreal and just right at the same time.

She started crying in earnest as she thought about what she had nearly lost and had potentially regained. Could this really be happening? Could Cullen actually forgive her? Did they stand a chance after all the hurt - intentional and otherwise- they had caused each other? She didn’t know the answers to those questions, but she desperately wanted to find them.

Evelyn swallowed hard before stepping back from Cullen. “I need to apologize to Norah,” she stated. 

“That’s probably a good idea. I had no idea you knew so many curse words or could string them together with such fluidity,” Cullen teased.

“I did travel with Blackwall, Bull, and Sera for over a year,” Evelyn retorted as her cheeks blazed red. She’d truly made an ass of herself. _Maker, please let Norah be forgiving. I can’t believe what a brat I’ve been._

“I’ll walk you to her place,” Cullen volunteered as he put a hand on the small of Evelyn’s back. Her heart leapt at his touch. She’d missed him so much -guiding her, protecting her - that she hiccoughed as she teared up again.

“I don’t remember you being such a crier,” he commented with a worried look after they’d walked a ways in silence except for the sounds of Evelyn’s snubbing.

“I’ve got a lot of regrets and a lot of making up to do,” she responded. “Cullen, I want this to work...”

He gave a perfunctory nod. “So do I. We’re just going to have to take things slowly and actually _talk_ to each other, Ev. I _can’t_ read your mind, and I’m not perfect,” he warned.

Evelyn snorted. “If it wasn’t obvious before, then my hissy fit today should make it clear that I’m not perfect either. And I want to do better - for us, for you.”

“That’s a start,” Cullen smiled before folding her in his arms again. “Maker, I’ve missed you,” he whispered as he kissed the crown of her head. They stayed that way for a few minutes just holding each other before Cullen announced, “You’re not the only woman in Skyhold with a hot temper. We’d best get to Norah before she works up a full head of steam.”

“Right,” Evelyn agreed as they picked up the pace and soon reached Norah’s apartment. Cullen winked at Evelyn before knocking on the door. Norah cracked it a few inches, and gave Evelyn a withering glare before opening the door fully and ushering them inside. The apartment was small and tidy. Graham was sitting in the floor playing with some blocks while Bella laid beside him. Both Bella and Graham lit up when they noticed Cullen enter the room.

Graham hopped to his feet and cried out, “Papa!” and then tottered over to Cullen with his arms held up. Cullen scooped him up and tossed him in the air before catching him while Graham belly laughed and then wrapped his arms around his father’s neck. Bella, for her part, was beside herself to see Cullen and Evelyn together. She started shaking her stubby tail vigorously and howling her approval.

“If it’s alright with you, I’ll take these two with me, so Evelyn and you can talk,” Cullen said to Norah who had her hands on her hips. Norah rolled her eyes and grunted her agreement as Cullen put Graham’s coat on him and whistled to Bella. “I’ll be nearby if you need me,” he added glancing between a livid Norah and a chastened Evelyn.

Once Cullen had left, Norah gave Evelyn a wary look and then fell back on her skills as a server. “Can I get you anything? I don’t have any mead, but I could make some tea,” she offered.

“No, don’t put yourself out. I’m fine,” Evelyn replied uneasily.

“I think I’d like some tea... and I might just lace it with a dash of brandy,” Norah admitted as she put a kettle of water on the fire.

“That actually sounds excellent,” Evelyn exhaled. “Norah, I need to apologize. I was entirely out of line.”

“Yes, you were,” Norah answered sharply. “What were you thinking?”

“I made a lot of assumptions. I thought you were making out with Cullen and that hurt my feelings even though I’ve been trying to push you together this past year. Then I saw it _wasn’t_ Cullen, and I got furious on his behalf. And....” Evelyn rambled in a single breath.

Taking off her apron, Norah sat down at the table and patted it signaling Evelyn to join her. “I knew it. You still love him,” she beamed. “So did you at least _tell_ him?”

Evelyn was bewildered. She didn’t know what she was expecting, but it wasn’t Norah rooting for them to reunite. “I did,” Evelyn admitted. “We’re going to try again.”

“Andraste be praised!” Norah nearly shouted as she grabbed Evelyn’s hands and squeezed them tightly. “Look when I first came here ... I don’t know what I thought would happen. Maybe some part of me hoped that Cullen and I would get together, but then I saw how much he loved you and how miserable he was without you. You know the kind of man Cullen is. All I would have needed to do was suggest that we marry and he would have done it out of a sense of duty, but I couldn’t do that to him or myself. He’s a good friend and a wonderful father, but we aren’t the right people for each other.”

“You’re not angry with me?” Evelyn asked in shock.

“Oh, I’m plenty pissed at what you said,” Norah shot back. “But if it means that Cullen and you are going to reconcile... Well, it’s worth being called a few choice words... although it would have been preferable for the whole of Skyhold not to have heard them.”

Evelyn buried her face in her hands and apologized again. She was mortified by her actions but also strangely at peace with them given the outcome. “Norah, how can I make it up to you?” she asked finally after a litany of _I’m sorry’s_.

“Well, the fact that you came here immediately and owned up to being a complete bitch earlier helps tremendously,” Norah said with a wry smile. “There is one other thing, though. Part of the reason Jason and I were behind the tavern is that our schedules don’t align very well. We were trying to sneak some time together before his shift started. Maybe you could use some of the sway you hold over his Commander to get him better postings,” Norah suggested conspiratorially.

“Now that I can do,” Evelyn promised as she grinned from ear to ear. “So tell me about this guy ... Jason did you say?” 

Cullen returned a little less than a half hour later and was relieved to hear Norah and Evelyn laughing when he came to the apartment door. He’d played chase with Graham for much of that time, and the little boy had petered out and was now fast asleep on his shoulder. After knocking on the door gently, he was greeted by Norah who welcomed him inside and gestured to Graham’s crib when she saw her sleeping son. As Cullen removed Graham’s shoes and coat before tucking him in, Norah and Evelyn filled him in on what had transpired.

“You’re a saint,” he said to Norah before giving her a peck on the cheek.

“I bet you say that to all the girls,” Norah joked. “Graham’s resting, and I have a ton of chores I want to get done...”

“And we can take a hint about when to leave,” Cullen said as he offered his arm to Evelyn. The sun had started to set, so Cullen suggested they have supper together. 

When they walked into the tavern arm in arm, everyone fell silent until Bull stood up and cheered, “It’s about damn time!” Soon the rest of the patrons were joining in as Evelyn blushed violet from the attention and Cullen looked about to burst as he gave Evelyn a cocky grin. 

Cabot made his way over to them after clearing out a table in the most secluded corner of the tavern. “I got the perfect spot for the two of you,” he grouched. “Try not to make a mess of things this time.” 

“We will,” Evelyn swore as she gave Cullen a bashful glance before answering. Even stone hearted Cabot wanted them together... Maker, what a fool she’d been.

Cullen and Evelyn ate their meal without letting go of each other’s hand and then spent hours simply talking as Cabot kept them supplied with first ale and then coffee. “Can’t have the two of you drunk instead of patching things up,” he’d announced when he’d slammed the first cups of coffee down on the table in front of them. “And if I lose the best damn waitress I’ve ever had over that nonsense earlier today, I’ll expect the Inquisitor herself to take Norah’s place.”

“I don’t think you have to worry about Norah, Cabot,” Cullen had responded to which the grouchy dwarf groused, “I’d better not. Profits have doubled since she came on.”

The tavern had emptied out completely, and the servers had swept all the floors before Cullen and Evelyn realized they might need to leave. “I suppose we should go,” Cullen suggested hesitantly. “I’ll walk you home.”

When they reached the door to Evelyn’s quarters, she shyly asked if Cullen wanted to come inside. He exhaled deeply and reluctantly shook his head. “I want to, but I think it would be too easy for us to fall into old habits. Sex was never the problem between us, but it was a bit of a crutch when talking got too hard.”

Evelyn looked down at the floor. She knew he was right. When conversations got too heavy or arguments too heated, they would often end up in bed without resolving the underlying issues. If they wanted a better outcome, they’d have to learn better ways of communicating. “What about a goodnight kiss?” she flirted, and Cullen smirked before giving her a kiss that had a year’s worth of passion and want fueling it. Evelyn was dizzy when they broke apart.

“I’ll ... uh... just be heading to bed. Goodnight, Cullen,” she panted as she opened the door to her room. _Maker knows I won’t be sleeping,_ she thought as she flopped down on top of the covers and squeaked happily while covering her mouth as she heard his footsteps fade away.


End file.
